Pop Ivy
Encyclopedia
Frank "Pop" Ivy was a football
player and coach who holds the unique distinction of being the only person ever to serve as a head coach in the National Football League
, the American Football League
and the Western Interprovincial Football Union.
A native of Skiatook, Oklahoma
, Ivy was part Native American
and earned his nickname because of premature baldness during his playing days. In three years of college football at the University of Oklahoma
beginning in 1937, Ivy played on both sides of the ball, earning All-America
n honors as an outstanding wide receiver, as well as a strong pass rusher on defense. Despite his constant time on the field, Ivy never missed a game with the Sooners because of injury, and showed his clutch ability in a 1939 game against the arch-rival Texas Longhorns. Catching a deflected pass late in the contest, Ivy scored the go-ahead touchdown.
Ivy was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the 1940 NFL draft
, but was traded to the Chicago Cardinals
on October 17. He would continue to see action on both sides of the ball throughout the rest of his NFL career, and in 1942, he had his best season with 27 receptions, second behind the legendary Don Hutson
. His time on the gridiron was interrupted for more than two years by his service in World War II
, but he closed out his career in 1947 by helping the franchise to its only NFL title. Ivy was on the sidelines for the NFL Championship, having separated his shoulder just weeks earlier.
In 1948, Ivy entered the coaching ranks when he was hired as an assistant to Bud Wilkinson
at his alma mater, spending six seasons with the Sooners. During this time, the team popularized the Split-T formation, helping the 1950 squad capture the national championship.
Ivy headed north on March 10, 1954, to become head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos
of the WIFU. Over the next four years, Ivy compiled a record of 50–14, starting off his tenure with three consecutive Grey Cup
championships. His most daring move came prior to the 1956 title game, when he moved quarterback Jackie Parker
to running back and inserted Canadian Don Getty
. The result was a 50–27 victory over the Montreal Alouettes
.
He also became known as an innovator in Canadian football, taking advantage of the more wide-open game by using strategies such as the twin fullback system, the quick snap and the short kickoff. In addition, his formations also included what was known as the "lonesome quarterback", the precursor to today's shotgun formation.
Following a 14–2 season with the Eskimos in 1957, Ivy's old team, the Cardinals, induced him to accept the head coaching position on January 9, 1958. During his first two seasons in Chicago
, Ivy struggled with a 4–19–1 mark, with one rumor in December 1958 having Ivy ready to return to Canada
to coach the BC Lions
. Following the Cardinals' relocation to St. Louis after the 1959 NFL season
, the team improved to 6–5–1 in 1960
, but then fell to 5–7 before Ivy resigned on December 6, 1961. While he publicly stated that he had "not accomplished the desired results," Ivy's decision reportedly stemmed from a growing feud with team owner Walter Wolfner.
Ivy was first sought by the AFL's Denver Broncos
, but instead signed with the two-time AFL champion Houston Oilers
on March 5, 1962, where he coached the next two seasons. The coaching change completed an odd "trade" of sorts: Oilers coach Wally Lemm
resigned to become head coach of the Cardinals.
During Ivy's first year, the team again won the conference title with an 11–3 record, but dropped a classic 20–17 double overtime decision in the 1962 AFL Championship to the Dallas Texans
. That success resulted in the CFL Alouettes team seeking his services, but on February 14, 1963, Ivy signed a two-year deal with the Oilers that gave him complete personnel authority.
The team slipped to 6–8 that season,the team's first-ever losing season, but Ivy's job security appeared to be in good shape. He hired Sammy Baugh
as an assistant the following May, but was shocked when he was fired on June 1 and replaced by Baugh.
Ivy soon found work as a scout for the New York Giants
, then was hired as an assistant coach with the team on February 3, 1965. After two seasons, the last a disastrous 1–12–1 campaign, Owner Wellington Mara enacted a new Club rule stating that all coaching staff must live in the New York/New Jersey area year round. A life long resident of Oklahoma, Ivy and his wife Inez did not want to leave Norman, OK for good. Mara asked Ivy to stay on as a scout which Ivy agreed to, but then returned to coaching in 1971 for three more seasons. Following the firing of head coach Alex Webster, Ivy again returned to scouting, where he spent the next decade before announcing his retirement in 1984.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach who holds the unique distinction of being the only person ever to serve as a head coach in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, the American Football League
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
and the Western Interprovincial Football Union.
A native of Skiatook, Oklahoma
Skiatook, Oklahoma
Skiatook is a town in Osage and Tulsa counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is a suburb of Tulsa. The population was 7,397 in the 2010 census, compared to 5,396 at the 2000 census.-History:William C...
, Ivy was part Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and earned his nickname because of premature baldness during his playing days. In three years of college football at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
beginning in 1937, Ivy played on both sides of the ball, earning All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n honors as an outstanding wide receiver, as well as a strong pass rusher on defense. Despite his constant time on the field, Ivy never missed a game with the Sooners because of injury, and showed his clutch ability in a 1939 game against the arch-rival Texas Longhorns. Catching a deflected pass late in the contest, Ivy scored the go-ahead touchdown.
Ivy was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the 1940 NFL draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
, but was traded to the Chicago Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
on October 17. He would continue to see action on both sides of the ball throughout the rest of his NFL career, and in 1942, he had his best season with 27 receptions, second behind the legendary Don Hutson
Don Hutson
Donald Montgomery Hutson was the first star wide receiver in National Football League history. He is considered by many to have been the first modern receiver....
. His time on the gridiron was interrupted for more than two years by his service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but he closed out his career in 1947 by helping the franchise to its only NFL title. Ivy was on the sidelines for the NFL Championship, having separated his shoulder just weeks earlier.
In 1948, Ivy entered the coaching ranks when he was hired as an assistant to Bud Wilkinson
Bud Wilkinson
Charles Burnham "Bud" Wilkinson was an American football player, coach, broadcaster, and politician. He served as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma from 1947 to 1963, compiling a record of 145–29–4. His Oklahoma Sooners won three national championships and 14...
at his alma mater, spending six seasons with the Sooners. During this time, the team popularized the Split-T formation, helping the 1950 squad capture the national championship.
Ivy headed north on March 10, 1954, to become head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
of the WIFU. Over the next four years, Ivy compiled a record of 50–14, starting off his tenure with three consecutive Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
championships. His most daring move came prior to the 1956 title game, when he moved quarterback Jackie Parker
Jackie Parker
John Dickerson "Jackie" Parker was an American football player who became an All-American in college football and an outstanding professional football player in the Canadian Football League at the running back, quarterback, defensive back, and kicker positions. He is primarily known for his play...
to running back and inserted Canadian Don Getty
Don Getty
Donald Ross Getty, OC, AOE is a retired Canadian politician who served as the 11th Premier of Alberta between 1985 and 1992. A member of the Progressive Conservatives, he served as Energy Minister and Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister in the government of Peter Lougheed before...
. The result was a 50–27 victory over the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
.
He also became known as an innovator in Canadian football, taking advantage of the more wide-open game by using strategies such as the twin fullback system, the quick snap and the short kickoff. In addition, his formations also included what was known as the "lonesome quarterback", the precursor to today's shotgun formation.
Following a 14–2 season with the Eskimos in 1957, Ivy's old team, the Cardinals, induced him to accept the head coaching position on January 9, 1958. During his first two seasons in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Ivy struggled with a 4–19–1 mark, with one rumor in December 1958 having Ivy ready to return to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
to coach the BC Lions
BC Lions
The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of Canadian Football League . Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place Stadium in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in East Vancouver from 1954...
. Following the Cardinals' relocation to St. Louis after the 1959 NFL season
1959 NFL season
The 1959 NFL season was the 40th regular season of the National Football League. Tragedy struck as NFL Commissioner Bert Bell died of a heart attack on October 11 at Philadelphia's Franklin Field while watching the Philadelphia Eagles and the Pittsburgh Steelers play...
, the team improved to 6–5–1 in 1960
1960 NFL season
The 1960 NFL season was the 41st regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, Pete Rozelle was elected NFL commissioner as a compromise choice on the twenty-third ballot. Meanwhile, the league expanded to 13 teams with the addition of the Dallas Cowboys. Also, the Cardinals...
, but then fell to 5–7 before Ivy resigned on December 6, 1961. While he publicly stated that he had "not accomplished the desired results," Ivy's decision reportedly stemmed from a growing feud with team owner Walter Wolfner.
Ivy was first sought by the AFL's Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, but instead signed with the two-time AFL champion Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
on March 5, 1962, where he coached the next two seasons. The coaching change completed an odd "trade" of sorts: Oilers coach Wally Lemm
Wally Lemm
Wally Lemm was a football coach at the high school, collegiate and professional levels and achieved his greatest prominence as head coach of the American Football League's Houston Oilers and the National Football League's St...
resigned to become head coach of the Cardinals.
During Ivy's first year, the team again won the conference title with an 11–3 record, but dropped a classic 20–17 double overtime decision in the 1962 AFL Championship to the Dallas Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. That success resulted in the CFL Alouettes team seeking his services, but on February 14, 1963, Ivy signed a two-year deal with the Oilers that gave him complete personnel authority.
The team slipped to 6–8 that season,the team's first-ever losing season, but Ivy's job security appeared to be in good shape. He hired Sammy Baugh
Sammy Baugh
Samuel Adrian "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh was an American football player and coach. He played college football for the Horned Frogs at Texas Christian University, where he was a two-time All-American. He then played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1937 to 1952...
as an assistant the following May, but was shocked when he was fired on June 1 and replaced by Baugh.
Ivy soon found work as a scout for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, then was hired as an assistant coach with the team on February 3, 1965. After two seasons, the last a disastrous 1–12–1 campaign, Owner Wellington Mara enacted a new Club rule stating that all coaching staff must live in the New York/New Jersey area year round. A life long resident of Oklahoma, Ivy and his wife Inez did not want to leave Norman, OK for good. Mara asked Ivy to stay on as a scout which Ivy agreed to, but then returned to coaching in 1971 for three more seasons. Following the firing of head coach Alex Webster, Ivy again returned to scouting, where he spent the next decade before announcing his retirement in 1984.